iMac Shipping Times Slip to 3 -5 Days, Fueling Rumors of ‘Low-Priced’ Model at WWDC
Ahead of WWDC 2014, shipping estimates for Apple’s iMac models have slipped to 3 to 5 business days, fueling speculation of a possible announcement of new iMac hardware next week. As noted by AppleInsider, dwindling inventory is also evident at authorized Apple resellers, with some retailers selling the latest iMac models with steep discounts.
As we have seen with Apple may be clearing out inventory Amazon is completely sold out of the base-line 21.5-inch and 27-inch models, relying on third-party resellers who only have a handful of units left in stock. MacMall is also down to its last units on the 2.9-gigahertz 21.5-inch model, and the 3.4-gigahertz 27-inch model.
While movement in product shipping estimates is historically a hit-or-miss indicator of imminent updates, the slip to 3-5 days over the weekend is not the only factor contributing to speculation of iMac updates. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has been predicting for some time that Apple will launch a “low-priced” version of the iMac, and his extensive product roadmap published last month showed the new iMac debuting at the end of the second quarter, which would be next month. Kuo argues that this new iMac with cost-efficient hardware to keep the base price low would offer Apple a way to increase its market share in Asia and other critical foreign markets.
Mac updates have generally been somewhat in flux as Intel has experienced delays with its next-generation Broadwell chips. While the company has been releasing interim “Haswell refresh” chips in recent months, these chips offer minimal improvements over their predecessors. Just last month, Apple released a minor MacBook Air update using one of these new chips, but more importantly reduced pricing by $100. The company could make a similar move with the iMac in the coming weeks.
Exact timing for iMac updates remains uncertain, as it is still a bit early for a launch based on historical update cycles. The iMac has also not played a role in recent WWDC product launches, perhaps due to its consumer focus compared to the professional/developer emphasis for the conference. Consequently, an iMac price drop with minor spec bumps could come in the weeks after WWDC, similar to the quiet MacBook Air update last month.
Apple last refreshed the iMac in September 2013, following a major redesign in 2012. The current iMac model features Intel Haswell processors, faster PCI Express-based flash storage and 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity. Prices start at $1299 for the entry-level 21.5-inch iMac and climb to $1799 for the base 27-inch model.
Apple to Offer Live Video Stream of WWDC Keynote on June 2
Apple today updated the front page of its website to announce that it will be offering a live video stream of next Monday’s keynote address at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. The keynote kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time.
Users will need Safari on Mac/iOS or QuickTime 7 on Windows in order to watch the stream, and Apple will also be making the stream available through a channel on Apple TV.
A number of announcements are expected at the WWDC keynote, with OS X 10.10 and iOS 8 expected to be the major focus of the event. OS X 10.10 in particular will reportedly be receiving the most attention as it will be receiving a facelift somewhat similar to that seen with iOS 7 last year. iOS 8 is said to be a more modest update, although there will undoubtedly be plenty of changes and additions relevant to users and developers alike.
Hardware announcements are a bit less certain, with two highly anticipated and long-rumored products in the iWatch and a revamped Apple TV unlikely to make their appearances at the event. Apple’s rumored Retina MacBook Air may also not be ready, but the company could slip in some other announcements such as updates to the MacBook Pro or outdated Mac mini, or perhaps a low-priced iMac.
Revamped iPlayer app for Windows Phone adds live TV but drops radio
Windows Phone users typically have to wait longer for apps and updates than their iOS and Android counterparts, but the latest BBC iPlayer rollout tips things back in Microsoft’s favour. As part of its ongoing iPlayer revamp, the Beeb has pushed live an new version of the Windows Phone app, delivering up-to-date channel pages, themed programme collections and clearer categories. On top of that, the app has a new media player that automatically delivers the best quality streams depending on a user’s connection. Windows Phone users will also be able to watch live TV for the first time, but the feature comes at a cost. Radio content will no longer be available after the BBC decided to cut the option in order to offer “the best TV viewing experience in iPlayer.” The good news is that the iPlayer Radio team expects to release a new app with “an optimised listening experience,” meaning users won’t have to go too long without access to The Archers.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Mobile
Via: BBC Internet Blog
Source: BBC iPlayer (Windows Phone Apps)
IBM’s Watson computer makes a delicious BBQ sauce
We know through first-hand experience that IBM’s Watson supercomputer can make a fine meal, but it’s apparently an ace at condiments, too. Fast Company has tried Bengali Butternut BBQ Sauce, a recipe chosen by Watson to maximize flavor through complimentary (and fairly uncommon) ingredients. The result is a “delicious” concoction unlike what you’d normally throw on your food — butternut and white wine give it a sweet taste, while tamarind and Thai chiles add punch that lasts beyond your last bite.
The best part is that it’s relatively guilt-free. Since Watson doesn’t need to pad its recipe with fatty or sugary substances, the sauce is much healthier than many of its rivals. Sweet Baby Ray’s honey mustard has more than twice the sugar and three times the calories, for example. IBM sadly isn’t likely to mass-produce Bengali Butternut; besides it being well outside of the company’s wheelhouse, it’s expensive. Even so, it promises an era when you’ll always have the perfect compliment to your pulled pork or veggies.
[Image credit: IBM Research, Flickr]
Filed under: Household, Science
Source: Fast Company
Report: China pushing banks to abandon American hardware
There’s a growing undercurrent of tension between the US and China because both countries think the other is trying to hack them. They’re both probably right, but China seems to be taking some concrete fiscal steps to make its displeasure known. According to a new report from Bloomberg (and the usual spate of unnamed sources), the Chinese government is quietly asking the country’s big banks to give up their IBM servers in favor of some homegrown hardware.
The big concern? The security and integrity of China’s financial systems. IBM may be ruing the move behind closed doors, but seeing China cut its reliance on foreign tech only seems natural considering the events of the past weeks. Remember: the US Department of Justice charged five officials from the People’s Liberation Army of China with hacking into American companies to steal trade secrets earlier this month. What’s more, leaks published in Glenn Greenwald’s new book confirmed that the NSA can and has intercepted hardware to trick it out with surveillance measures before passing it onto the intended customer. Throw some stern rebukes from a new Chinese government agency report (among other things, it accuses the US of putting “global cyber-security under threat”) and it’s no surprise that things are getting so chilly. This isn’t the first time that the Chinese government has come down hard on US-made tech, either: just a few weeks ago, Windows 8 became verboten on government computers there.
Source: Bloomberg
LG’s G3 flagship is a bigger, simpler, higher-res smartphone
Simple is the new smart. That’s how the invite to today’s LG event in London reads. But what’s simple about the newly announced LG G3 flagship LTE phone? We’ll decode the marketing talk soon, but for now lets look at the simple facts about the hardware. As suspected (and oft leaked), the G3 has a 5.5-inch display, again with a much-talked-about Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) display. As for the innards, there’s a Snapdragon 801 chip clocked at 2.5GHz plus 2GB of RAM to serve you up Android KitKat, along with 16GB of storage. There’s also a 3GB/32GB variant if you want to up the ante. Other hardware highlights include a removable (3,000mAh) battery, wireless charging and SD card support. Budding photographers will want to know that the main camera is a 13-megapixel unit, and comes with OIS and tap to focus. And yes, again, as rumored there’s an (infrared) laser auto focus — we’ll be exploring that in detail in our review for sure. That’s the key spec list, but in this increasingly experiential mobile world, there’s a lot more going on than just a laundry list of features, which we got a chance to explore for ourselves.
What about the phone design itself? Well in many ways it feels like a collage of some of its contemporaries/competition. The curved top and bottom edges are reminiscent of the (albeit LG-made) Google Nexus 5 and (to a lesser degree) the OnePlus One. The curved back (which is just 2.75mm at its thinnest/the edges, 8.9 at its fattest) has a whiff of the HTC One (M8) about it, as does the metallic finish. It’s definitely metal-like though, and not actually the cold stuff.
LG describes it as “metallic skin,” and it’s anti-scratch, but not fully self-healing like we saw on the G Flex. As for choice of colors, you’ll be able to pick from metallic black, silk white, shine gold, moon violet and burgundy red at launch. It’s not all about aesthetic’s though, as the G3′s finish has been designed to be less slippery, and less prone to fingerprint-hoarding than the G2, and that seems to definitely be the case in our initial time with the device. But, why not go with actual aluminum? LG says the material was designed to look and feel like metal but not be as cold. That’s a shame, as it’s that cooler temperature that many might think actually gives metal phones that quality feel (even if it’s mostly because of that sensory distinction from polycarbonate). Either way, the G3 still feels nice, and remarkably doesn’t feel as big as the spec-sheet tells us it is, until you directly compare it to a smaller phone.
We briefly mentioned those rear buttons, but we’re glad to confirm they’re an improvement on the G2′s. These very same buttons were one of the standout design features last time of course, and LG thinks they were worthy enough of a return visit. On the G3 though they lay much flatter, and protrude less than on the G2. It makes for a more comfortable fit, especially given the phone’s size. So, maybe if you weren’t a fan last time, they might be more to your liking? There’s hope at least.
As for the “simple” part? As usual, that’s mostly in reference to the user interface. It’s a common theme, but LG really does think it’s made thing’s simpler to use with the G3. It’s done this by doing some digital housekeeping. It’s tried hard to remove as much friction between you deciding what you want to do, and actually getting there. In reality, this means the camera interface has been pared right back. It’s almost empty, just tap the screen and it’ll take a picture. If that freaks you out, you can switch them all back on again, but for the most part, LG’s trying to keep things simple. The camera has a few other tricks too, such as gesture controls which solve one of the biggest problems faced by the selfie taker. Hold the phone at arm’s length, and instead of fumbling for the shutter button, you can just get your hand in view, make a fist, and it’ll countdown from three to one before taking a picture.
Oh, and that front-facing camera? LG’s just gone right ahead and re-branded it the “Selfie camera.” It’s even been optimized to better perform the task it’s become most known for. This means bigger pixels to increase the amount of light it soaks up, and a low f-stop for the same reason (f2.0 for those that like to know). LG’s clearly assuming you hang about in dark places.
Other UI tweaks that LG hopes will reduces the amount of friction include a Google Now-esque smart notification system. Smart Notice will gently remind you when you didn’t return a missed call (and sent a message saying you would, or suggest you add a number to your contacts that you often get calls from. Best of all, it’ll also apparently hint you might want to upgrade when LG’s got a new product you might want to upgrade to. We just hope you can turn that off.
So far it’s seems the G3 is off to a good start, and we’re waiting for the company to confirm world-wide price and availability. What we do know, is that it’ll be landing in Korea first, possibly as soon as next week, with western markets to follow.
Filed under: Cellphones, LG
KitKat rolling out for International Galaxy S4 Active
The international version of Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is finally getting Android 4.4 KitKat. Software version I9295XXUCNE5 is currently out in the Netherlands and a few other countries, according to recent reports.
This rollout will be gradual so it may take some time to reach certain countries in Europe. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active was announced over a year ago so it’s nice to see it get some KitKat love. KitKat, as many of you know, brings a lot of goodies with it, like improved speed and battery life, white status bar icons, wireless printing and lots of software features that Samsung baked in that have been improved.
SOURCE: GSMArena
The post KitKat rolling out for International Galaxy S4 Active appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Foxconn Starting 4.7″ iPhone 6 Production in July, Pricier 5.5″ Model to Follow in August
According to a new report from Digitimes, Foxconn will again be the primary manufacturer for the iPhone 6, supplying 70 percent of the expected shipments of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 model in 2015. Shipments could begin as soon as July for the 4.7-inch model, with the 5.5-inch following shortly afterwards.
The 4- and 4.7-inch iPhones will be the main sales force of Apple for 2014. Foxconn’s plants in Zhengzhou, China are expected to start supplying the 4.7-inch model in July and start manufacturing the 5.5-inch one in August.
Besides Foxconn, Apple also may be turning to Pegatron and Wistron to supply iPhone handsets for its next product cycle. Pegatron is believed to be a secondary supplier for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, while Wistron may step in to supply Apple with the existing 4-inch iPhone model. Wistron is a new production partner that Apple added last year to help produce the iPhone 5c.
Rumors on the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 model have suggested that it may arrive as a premium model in lower quantities with perhaps exclusive features such as a sapphire crystal display. A new report from Nomura Securities shared by G 4 Games suggests that the larger model is likely to carry a $100 price premium over the 4.7-inch model. Apple had previously been reported to be negotiating with carriers for a $100 price increase on the iPhone 6, but it would make more sense for that increase to arrive in the form of a higher-end model such as the rumored 5.5-inch iPhone.
Digitimes has a fairly spotty track record with regard to Apple rumors, but it does occasionally offer accurate insight when sourcing information from within Apple’s supply chain. Digitimes‘ latest report is one of several recent communications that unsurprisingly suggest mass production of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will begin this summer in advance of a fall launch. Apple is expected to follow the 4.7-inch model with a larger 5.5-inch version that will debut in late 2014 or early 2015. Both models may ship with Apple’s A8 processor, an improved camera, and iOS 8.
Australian Apple users held to ransom by Find My iPhone hacker
Some Australian Apple device owners today woke up not to the sound of their alarm, but the jingle of a “ransom” notification instead. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a hacker (or a group of hackers) going by the name “Oleg Pliss” systematically froze iPhone, iPad and Mac users out of their own devices, holding them hostage until payments of between $50 and $100 were received. Threads on Apple’s official support forums detail how the attacker (or attackers) used Apple’s own Find My iPhone feature to remotely lock devices and send messages requiring payment via PayPal. Fortunately, those who had set passcodes were able to regain access, because you can’t add or change a lock on a device that already has one in place, but those without the security measure weren’t so lucky.
Overcoming a lock once it is in place isn’t an easy process, meaning Apple has had to work directly with those affected to fix the issue. While the attack has been limited to Australia for the most part, Apple device owners in New Zealand and the UK have also reported similar issues. It’s believed that the device locks could be down to users recycling the same passwords captured in other internet breaches, although the real cause is not yet known. If you’re worried you could be affected, it’s considered good security practice to use a unique password, enable two-factor authentication and set passcodes on all of your devices.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Software, Apple
Via: 9to5mac
Engadget giveaway: win a charged-up camping combo courtesy of ThinkGeek!
Keeping gadgets juiced up while enjoying the great outdoors can be tough, but the technology is out there, so it’s no reason to stay at home. The folks at ThinkGeek always have a slew of gadget solutions on hand and this week they’ve provided a powered-up combo for two lucky Engadget readers to enjoy. There’s the Power Pot thermoelectric generator for keeping USB devices charged while stewing up some vittles and the Pocket Socket hand-cranked version to provide juice in standard outlet format. To help you lug all of this tech out into the wild, there’s also the Plan B Evac sling pack. You could even drag the old man along to celebrate Father’s Day and load him up with dad-style swag from ThinkGeek’s specifically tailored gift center. Camping and cooking go hand-in-hand after all, and you’ll want someone with experience manning the grill. To get your shot at winning this charged-up combo, all you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below. There might be an adventure on the horizon and this time you could glamp it up without worrying about dead devices.
- Entries are handled through the Rafflecopter widget above. Comments are no longer accepted as valid methods of entry. You may enter without any obligation to social media accounts, though we may offer them as opportunities for extra entries. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win, but it will not be given to third parties.
- Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
- Winners will be chosen randomly. Two winners will each receive one (1) Power Pot, one (1) Pocket Socket Generator and one (1) Plan B Evac sling.
- If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email or Facebook login. We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes.
- This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. ThinkGeek and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honor warranties, exchanges or customer service.
- The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
- Entries can be submitted until May 28th at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile, Alt
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